I had known that there were over ten different unique populations of striped bass around the United States and even that striped bass along the eastern Atlantic coast migrated all the way down to Florida. However, I never knew we actaully had a striped bass population along the gulf coast. I was reading the newest edition of Eddies today and sure enough not only are there striped bass along the gulf coast, there is a huge restoration effort happening. Pretty cool, read more below.

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The genetically unique Gulf Coaststrain of striped bass was once common to rivers pouring into the Gulf of Mexico. By the 1960’s, its population had declined significantly due to poor water quality and loss of habitat from a wave of dam construction. The last known population of native striped bass survived in low numbers in the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) river system in Florida, Georgia and Alabama. Twenty-five years ago, these states and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service formed a powerful partnership to restore Gulf striped bass in the ACF. Some remarkable achievements have been made. We know more about its life history and its genetic integrity is safeguarded. The partners evaluate each year the stocking success and food availability; a young-of-year index estimates year-class strength; creel surveys evaluate recreational fishing; and telemetry studies have revealed the waters that provide essential temperatures the fish need. And now many of those coolwater habitats have been protected or rehabilitated. Recreational fishing in these places is carefully managed. Through the partnership, Radium Springs on the Flint River was purchased for habitat protection. Dead Lake Dam on the Chipola River was removed, and the operations at other dams have improved. Biologists have evaluated fish passage problems throughout the basin. Seven state and six federal hatcheries cooperatively stock more than one million Gulf striped bass a year. New recreational fisheries have been created, and anglers have set exciting new records. This work has been a catalyst for striped bass restoration throughout the Gulf region. Today, Louisiana, Texas and Mississippi are helping this remarkable 25-yearold partnership ensure the success of this unique and important fish across much of its historic range.

Virginia NEW STRIPED BASS RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR THE REMAINDER OF 2008

The new striped bass regulations have been set. They are for the 2008 fall striped bass season inside Chesapeake Bay’s Virginia waters.

The CHESAPEAKE BAY regulations will remain the way they have been until December 21, 2008.
From now until December 21,2008 you are allowed to keep two (2) striped bass per person with a minimum length of 18 inches. No fish may be kept between 28 and 34 inches long. One (1) of your two fish may be 34 inches or longer.

That changes on December 21, 2008. From December 21, 2008 until the bay season ends December 31, 2008 you can only keep one fish per person. It can be on either side of the no-take slot limit.

The Atlantic Ocean Fishery Regulations are UNCHANGED. The regulations are two (2)  striped bass per person with a minimum of 28 inches.

Thank goodness.  The Chesapeake Bay’s biggest problem is clean water. I have been a strong advocate of reduced harvest limits for all user groups as result of declining fish populations. The biggest culprit for these declining fish populations over time, beyond over fishing, is the lack of clean water. Congrats to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation for taking a hard stance and taking action

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from Will Baker, Chesapeake Bay Foundation President

Dear Brandon,

For the better part of the last day and a half, I have been talking with reporters. And, just this morning, we formally announced our “notice of intent” to sue the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to force the federal agency to keep its promises to reduce pollution and clean up the Bay. Such a notice is required 60 days before actual litigation is filed.

We are taking this extreme step because not once, not twice, but three times, the EPA has signed agreements to reduce pollution in the Bay. The latest, the Chesapeake 2000 Agreement signed by the states and feds in June of 2000, would have cut nitrogen and phosphorus pollution enough to remove the Bay and tributary rivers from the federal Impaired Waters List. Eight years later, EPA admits they will miss this goal, and they are discussing moving the deadline back another twelve years!

We’ve had it with these delays. So we are going to federal court. We are targeting EPA as the lead federal agency responsible for upholding the Clean Water Act. And, we are not going it alone. Watermen, recreational anglers, and former elected officials have joined in this action.

Here is a link www.cbf.org/c2k to a lot more information about this action. We are going to need your support. Please sign the petition, send the EPA Administrator an e-mail, and sign up for our rally on November 20th in Washington, DC.

Thank you,

I read the below article in the Jersey Coast Anglers Association October Newsletter and thought it was interesting. Are yellow fin now going to disappear? Will pictures like the one here be a thing of the past?  Does our Atlantic Tuna Management need a total overhaul? You decide.

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Highly Migratory Species Report   by John T. Koegler
Missing Yellowfin Tuna

After a good early season, which lasted until Early August, the Yellowfin tuna totally vanished. There were many explanations offered but that did not make up for this key offshore species. The slack was taken up by the strong showing of bluefin tuna along the 30 fathom line.

This fishery lasted over 4 weeks with a few weekends the area resembled a Wal-Mart parking lot. Then for no good reason dirty green water moved into the prime fishing area and the bluefin moved inshore to the 20 fathom line.

The white marlin fishing has been very good. The Mid-Atlantic $500,000 tournament recorded 388 white marlin caught with almost all being released alive. The big surprise was the tiny number of tuna registered in the tournament. Only 13 were weighed in for the lowest total in the last 20 years for this tournament.

In September NMFS changed their rules for bluefin tuna and now permitted General Category boats to land up to 3 giant bluefin tuna per day. The reason is for the fourth year in a row the huge New England giant bluefin tuna fishery has vanished. A few giants were landed early in the season but the main body of fish failed to show.

Many New England fishermen had believed lack of key forage species like herring had encouraged the giants to keep going and end up in Canadian waters where they had another good giant season. But commercial herring landings were reduced! So far it does not appear to have worked despite a major change in herring catch rules.

Small bluefin tuna showed up in good quantity in their old fishing grounds like the Mudhole and Chicken Canyons along the 20 fathom line. A few skippers were delighted but the absurd NMFS limit of 1 school tuna and 1 large school per boat trip reduced the number of boats willing to spend the huge fuel dollars to fish to a tiny number. At the same time on the other side of the Atlantic, the ICCAT bluefin tuna management farce continues. The EU closed the giant Fishery 2 weeks early because they estimated the full giant bluefin quota had been caught and sold. Nations like France and Spain ignored the rules and part of their fleet continued to fish for bluefin.

There is no internal force within any European country to enforce ICCAT rules. So again after 32 years, the US and Canada are the only countries with regulations. In the US the toughest regulations apply to the huge recreational fleet while the commercial fleet is given most of the US quota. Meanwhile, our ICCAT representatives reduced our 2008 quota by hundreds of tons of bluefin once again with the absurd expectation that the European countries would impose the tougher ICCAT regulations and lower their quotas as proposed by their scientific arm.

No one should be surprised that the Europeans refused to impose the 2008 lower quota. Naturally, the US imposes their reduction for about the 10th time while the Europeans refused to accept their lower ICCAT quota for the 10th time. Why the US delegation to ICCAT expects quota acceptance by the Europeans after 32 years of a total refusal are an unreasonable expectation!

An unusual bluefin spawning success in 1995 and 1997 increased the number of US bluefin tuna population greatly. Now these 2 year classes are sexually mature. Now the number of school fish is exploding! Will US recreational fishermen ever be permitted to catch a few bluefin their conservation permitted to expand? This will happen the same as the Feds lower our taxes.

One good item in the offshore area is the ban on longline fishing in the Florida strait which has permitted the Mahi-mahi population to sharply increase in numbers. Offshore anglers are enjoying their best Mahi fishing in the last 20 years. It will likely be short lived since NMFS in an absurd ruling has created a new version of longline fishing named buoy fishing. In buoy fishing the longline is attached to a buoy with a specified number of hooks and then tied to the boat fishing. This is not supposed to be longline fishing but the reduction in the number of small swordfish and other pelagic fish is evident. So much for expecting NMFS regulations to ever benefit anglers for long.

It is expected that the hurricane glances that have brushed the east coast will churn up the ocean enough that yellowfin tuna will return to end the season on a positive note. As everyone has noticed yellowfin fishing reduces slightly each year. It is a mere shadow of what anglers caught 20 year ago. Naturally, the problem is the huge number of purse seine boats fishing off the coast of Africa on the spawning yellowfin and bigeye tuna each year. Eight years ago their countries agreed in writing that they would reduce their landings. Naturally, after 8 years their landings keep increasing and the US ICCAT group does nothing, not even complain when it is evident that they are not reducing their landings and saving the US east coast fishery. Can anglers ever expect NMFS to get ICCAT to work? Clearly, ICCAT is a worthless organization.

After thirty-two years of expecting the European countries to follow their agreed to ICCAT rules seems absurd. Why do the US ICCAT reps expect the 33rd year to be different?

Go offshore fishing now! There are fish to be caught before the stripers arrive and the weather turns cold despite global warming.

This article is located here in JCAA’s Oct 2008 Newsletter.

Beginning in 2003 Stripers Forever has done an annual survey of their members’ fishing success for the season as well as soliciting their opinions on desired regulatory changes for striped bass. This survey is an important part of their work since it shows fishery managers how the public perceives the trends in the quality of this important fishery along the east coast.
It’s easy to fill out the survey:
1. Go to their website www.stripersforever.org and click on Fishing and Opinion Survey under Recent News on the right side of the home page.
2. From there just double click the attached fishing survey Word document, save it to your computer desktop and fill it out.
3. Then attach your completed survey to an e-mail back to them at stripers@whatifnet.com.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Marine Fisheries Service (NFMS) announced in the October 17, 2008, Federal Register that the requirements set by Executive Order 13449 which established striped bass and red drum as gamefish have been fulfilled. NMFS determined that the current rules banning the sale of striped bass and red drum caught in federal waters in the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico achieve the intent of Executive Order 13449, signed by President George W. Bush on October 20, 2007.

“This ruling ensures that striped bass and red drum will survive and grow for generations of anglers to enjoy,” ASA President and CEO Mike Nussman said. “We are very pleased that NMFS has completed this ruling ensuring that federal waters will be closed to commercial fishing for these important gamefish.”

Executive Order 13449 established gamefish status for striped bass and red drum in federal waters. Gamefish status means that the two species are provided regulations and management measures to promote their well-being as a fish sought for recreational fishing and not for sale if caught in federal waters.

This announcement insures the recreational, economic and environmental benefits of two of the most popular gamefish in the United States. The order protects the fisheries in federal waters from commercial harvest, which include three miles to 200 miles offshore. The Order does not cover state waters, which go from the coastline to three miles offshore. Many states have conferred gamefish status for these species and the executive order encourages those that have not conferred gamefish status to do so. The announcement on October 17, 2008 signifies that the regulatory requirements of the executive order were fulfilled.

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Atlantic Herring Section approved initiation of an addendum to explore additional options to control harvest in Area 1A (inshore Gulf of Maine).  Five specific measures will be considered for inclusion in the final draft: (1) monthly or bimonthly quotas with payback and carry over; (2) determination of landing and fishing days; (3) no fishing prior to June 1; (4) timely reporting of state-registered landings; and (5) restricted harvest of juvenile fish.

Currently, effort in Area 1A is controlled through a days at sea restriction. However, a 25 percent decrease in the Area 1A total allowable catch and a federal mid-water trawl ban from June 1 to September 30 have significantly changed the fishery since Amendment 2 implementation, limiting the overall effectiveness of the days at sea restriction to control harvest and effort.  The new addendum will seek to identify additional management tools to better control effort in the fishery.

The Section will seek input from its Technical Committee, Advisory Panel, and the Commission’s Law Enforcement Committee on the five measures and provide guidance to the Plan Development Team at the next Section meeting, scheduled for February 2009. For more information, please contact Christopher Vonderweidt, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at cvonderweidt@asmfc.org  or (202) 289-6400.

I received a call from fishing buddy Wild Bill yesterday saying he was reading an article in Smithsonian Magazine that was talking about how the size and numbers of fish have decreased over the years. The Senior Editor, Laura, of the Smithsonian printed pictures of typical catches from a Key West boat named Gulf Stream in 1957 and again in 1958 , 1983 and 2007. The boat has been updated to the Gulf Stream III and runs from the same slip. The contrast in the catches is striking. A link is not year on their site. If you have access to the Smithsonian, look at pages 56 to 58 in the September issue for a pictorial of how the fishing has changed. The catch in 1957 compared to 2007 is beyond startling. Laura fished a day on the Gulf Stream III and ends the editorial with: ” It was poignant to see so much excitement over catching [little] fish. The people on the boat don’t have any sense that it has changed so much.”

Wild Bill’s call sparked some interest so I went to the Smithsonian website to look around. I came across an article titled “Our Imperiled Oceans: Victory at Sea“which talks about a large reserve that was created in the Phoenix Islands in the Pacific, “Phoenix Islands, a remote, largely unpopulated archipelago 1,000 miles east of Tarawa. The 158,000-square-mile Phoenix Islands Protected Area, covering about 12 percent of Kiribati’s watery domain, holds some of the world’s most pristine coral reefs as well as a great abundance and diversity of tropical marine life. And it’s the first reserve to place such a large area of open ocean off-limits to commercial fishing. The reserve is one of the planet’s ecological bright spots, the boldest, most dramatic effort to save the oceans’ coral reefs, the richest habitat in the seas.”

While the reserve part of the article is interesting, what is even more interesting is a discussion relating a syndrome called “the shifting baseline syndrome”

It was only in the 1990s that marine scientists became aware of what Daniel Pauly, a fisheries biologist at the University of British Columbia, calls the shifting baseline syndrome—the problem of establishing historic populations of marine life in a given species or community. Just what is a healthy number of, say, red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico? “Each generation [of scientists] accepts as a base line the stock size and species composition that occurred at the beginning of [that generation’s] career,”says Pauly. The result is that, over time, the expectation of the natural number of fish in the sea gets smaller and smaller—until the population is so small that even a modest environmental perturbation, or a tad more fishing, causes it to unexpectedly collapse as the cod population collapsed off Newfoundland and Labrador in the early 1990s. Sound familiar?

• Think that happened with blue crabs in the Chesapeake?….sure did.
• Think that happened with sea trout in the Chesapeake and along the east coast?…..sure did
• Think that happened with sturgeon in the Chesapeake?……sure did, wiped them out
• Think that happened with [u]oysters in the Chesaepake?….sure did, in fact our fisheries managers are so wacko that while they say we are at 1% of historic levels, they still allow for a commerical fishery that is clearly NOT sustainable…total joke (still waiting for CBF to come to their senses and make a statement like they did 10 years ago)
• Think that is what happened with Atlantic [U]blue fin tuna[/U].?..sure did, they will be gone soon, the NC fishery is about all gone already
• Think that is what happened with[U] tile fish [/U]in Florida, and almost happened in Virgina?…sure did
• Think that is what happened with [U]cod[/U] in the Northeast? ….sure did
• Think that is what is happening/happened with [U]menhaden [/U]along the east coast and now in the Chesapeake Bay?….bet it is…well in fact we know it happened, used to be 100 factories along the coast doing menhaden catching and processing, now we have one(1). Why is that? It’s because there are no more freaking menhaden to support the factories.
• Think that is what is happening again with [U]striped bass[/U]? (you would have thought we learned our lesson the first time)……I bet it is!

And I could go on, but I think everyone gets the point. If we do not get our head out of our rears sooner then later fishing for our next generation is going to put mildly, stink if not non-existent for many species. Will among the list of species not around in 50 years be striped bass? Is striped bass management a victim of shifting baseline syndrome? What do you think? Leave your comments, I’d be interested in hearing them

Brandon